


The Whitehall Atrium

by LibertyWrites21



Series: A Magical Butterfly Effect [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Amelia Bones POV, F/M, Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter), Other, Sirius Black Lives, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:01:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25603996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibertyWrites21/pseuds/LibertyWrites21
Summary: The mechanization of the Wizarding government in the United Kingdom and Ireland, from the view of the Ministry's top Auror to the simple passersby as the winds of fate begin to change and turn the normal routine of the Ministry and the Wizarding World upside down
Relationships: Amelia Bones & Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Amelia Bones & Cornelius Fudge, Amelia Bones & Dolores Umbridge, Amelia Bones & Susan Bones, Sirius Black/Amelia Bones
Series: A Magical Butterfly Effect [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1855549
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	The Whitehall Atrium

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All characters and settings included are either largely or wholly created by J.K. Rowling and, unless stated otherwise, are not my own. This is not my stories, merely my spin and added enhancers.

An unsuspecting person walks through the streets of London, wearing what appears to be a brown suit. His timid attitude a bit more noticeable as he is walking towards a red phone booth, putting his money in the slot and turning to face the streets, as if waiting for someone to come along. He checks his watch, as if making sure he is not late in attending the affair that he is hurriedly heading towards.

Then, out of nowhere, the phone booth appears to drop, as if like a lift as he sinks below the street, He goes down until he comes to a vast tunnel of fireplaces to either side, setting down on tile-like flooring as the phone booth rings a bell. Immediately, the gentleman opens up the door and hurries along with the crowd toward the vast tile-like setting of the Atrium. Numerous windows and offices had wrapped the greeting lane of visitors that walked through the Atrium and a fountain pouring out, showing what appeared to be a majestic monument of some feminine quality as water shot out a fantastic and magical show. Stands for the vast majority of news outlets stood, most notably _The Daily Prophet_ , talking about the recent changes in Hogwarts as well as the recent celebration of Irish defeating the French 225-80 to face the Bulgarians in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup.

As the crowd moves, the man makes it to an elevator as he is heading to his appointment, crowded by many visitors and workers alike as they gather a spot and a brace as the lift shuts its metal fence like door and begins to pull back a ways before going down to the second level. A matter-of-factly voice soothingly speaks as the lift stops.

_"Level Two: Department of Magical Law Enforcement"_

The gentleman pushes through to head out of the lift and down the long corridor of walls and doors and windows to his appointment. As he heads down, a scribe walks by trying to look for directions to an office that she is trying to find. As she manages to wander the corridor, trying not to get in people's way, she notices a lady in official black wear.

"Oh! Miss Bones!" the scribe called out. "Miss Bones?"

The lady referred to as Miss Bones was, in fact, Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. A square jawed, slightly greyed haired lady with a monocle to emphasize her straight-to-business attitude. Officially, she would remove her monocle to adjust to seeing her way through the hall. Looking back at the scribe that called her name, she greeted her with a neutral, but warm greeting.

"Try not to lose your way, Jenkins," Bones stated with a slight amusement to her tone. "You don't want to end up walking into an investigation by accident."

Jenkins blushed with some frank embarrassment.

"Yes mum," she demurred, trying to get her bearings straight as she caught up with Amelia Bones, heading down the hall.

"Tell me what is new, Jenkins," Bones stated, taking a brisk walking pace and getting Jenkins to catch up as they push through the people around them both.

"Minister Fudge is looking to see what additional security measures can be made to his visit for the Quidditch World Cup" Jenkins listed

"He already knows that Rufus has given as much resources as the Aurors can," Bones stated, "Not to mention the detail for him for protection"

"Also, Lucius Malfoy is requesting a detail on behalf of the Hogwarts Board of Governors in preparation for the Triwizard Tournament" Jenkins added, turning the corridors on the way to her office.

"I have already addressed the agreement several times through Dumbledore," Bones pointed out, her irritation only slightly slipping out.

"Also," Jenkins noted once arriving near the office, "Senior Undersecretary Umbridge is looking to appeal to the Wizengamot and the Department on her ban of merpeople."

The very name gave Bones, a considerably serious woman, a shake of the head. Be it out of irritation or out of disposition, it remained unclear.

"Well," Bones stated to herself while greeting entry-level wizards taking a tour, "let us hope that Dolores can make her case not sound as incredible as her case."

"'m sorry, Mum?" Jenkins asked, slightly hearing what Madam Bones had quipped.

"No matter," Bones had waved off. "Anything else?"

"No, mum" Jenkins stated contently.

"Good," Bones stated, reaching in her coin-purse and pulling out coins. "You look famished after trying to find me, Jenkins. Go get something at the Leaky Culdron. On me."

Jenkins, taking the coins, beamed brightly

"Thank you, mum!" she exclaimed before being dismissed. Bones, nodding in return, entered her office swiftly.

Amelia Bones's office was one of little importance, at least to her. A simple setting of a desk and case files were set close to the bare wall area on the other side of the round room. A quaint view of several other offices and corridors could be seen outside the window, but nothing of importance or reach that the door already had taken care of. Whatever accomplishments made during her time were sparse and largely placed on supporting tables. Yet, this was the office of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and an office that Bones has held for at least three months, since the resignation of her predecessor, Alfred Willows, after the inquiry and failing to capture Sirius Black at Hogwarts.

Taking a seat, behind her desk, she kept in view two pictures. One of her dear brothers Edgar and Avery, and the other of her niece, Susan. The former seeing the two brothers being jovial, if only troublemaking, the latter of Susan twirling and floating in an enchantment. Among the desk were numerous files, mostly cases and official documents left by the Minister of Magic, as well as his Senior Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge. Taking in the workload ahead for the World Cup, as well as reviewing the petition of the Hogwarts Governors once more, Bones would put on her monocle and studiously begin through the paperwork ahead.

Some time later, a knock came from her door.

"Come in," Bones stated, waving her wand to open the door.

Entering was a slender, clean cut man with a mustache and a sense of cunning. He was, like Bones, serious to a fault, if only much more ambitious than the latter. The man was Bartemius Crouch, Sr., a predecessor of Bones and now Head of the Department of International Magic Cooperation. Once destined for the role of Minister of Magic, an incident involving his private life set those ambitions cast out and now, remains relegated to international magic affairs.

"How are you, Barty?" Bones stated, not looking up, but welcoming in the familiar face.

"Glad to see you're focus on work, Amelia," Crouch stated with pride. "I take it you already have heard about Fudge looking for a detail just to make sure he climbs the steps safely."

Bones, slightly grinning at the remark, demurred.

"Well, he is Minister of Magic," she accepted. "He needs as much detail as it will soothe him on these events."

Crouch, making his visits to the office he once held, still used what influence he had after the prosecution of his son and downfall by Crouch; Bones being that example when he pushed for her over Fudge's lackey in the Wizengamot.

Walking over to the windows to see the view, Crouch pondered aloud to Bones.

"Bloody tirade, that git," Crouch snarled, barely hiding disdain for his boss. "Parades around my office to try and look good for hosting this event, and here I am trying to make keep the peace with the Bulgarian delegation when he's drunk. Not to mention the damn balancing act of the Triwizard Tournament."

Bones nodded and listened while reviewing the requests of the Governors.

"Is that why there's so much crossing over into my department to see what resources we have?" Bones asked.

Crouch, realizing where she was going with the conversation, demurred as he paced.

"To my defense," Crouch stated, "I know that you can handle the job well. However, I am doing my best to just try and show the bastard how utterly useless he is."

Bones, while respectful of her mentor back in the Auror days, finally looked up to the old man.

"Then, with all due respect, Barty, let my Aurors be," she requested. "Already, I am stretching them thin with resources out looking for reports of Sirius Black, a World Cup, several missions, AND a school event. I can't do my job properly and observe these instances when you and Fudge are parading around my office."

Crouch, taken a bit aback by Bones accosting him, took to swallow his pride and simply make one request.

"May I please keep a detail loyal to me, then?" he asked. "Just to keep to me cover and not trample on other departments."

Bones, pondering in thought, saw a compromise.

"That will work out well," Bones said. "And, that way, I can keep a detail on who is doing what wrong. I'll draft a detail before you head over to the Cup."

Crouch, content with the decision, thanked his protege as he began to depart, but not before stating,

"You do know that Fudge wanted to limit you because of your past dalliance with Black, right?"

Bones; for the first moment since hearing about Umbridge earlier, took a pause to her work and let the words sink in.

"He was campaigning with the veteran members about you taking too close of an interest to that mass murderer when I pushed for your nomination," explained Crouch. "It only was the fact that you had been the same Auror whom prosecuted Lestrange for what they did to the Longbottoms that I reminded them that you aren't some lily-livered toad when it came to the law."

Bones, taking her monocle off, turned to look at Crouch.

"Will that be all, Mister Crouch?"

A cold silence hit the room. It had been years since the business-strict Bones had called her former boss formally instead of as a friend.

"Thank you, Madam Bones," said Crouch, as he closed the door.

Bones grimaced as she rested her hands upon her forehead, clenched tightly.

Indeed, almost a lifetime ago, Bones was a studious Hufflepuff, always gaining the charm of one Sirius Black, whom was a year her junior. While she only briefly knew the Potters through mutual greetings, it was Sirius that was the ever-persistent flirt. Always using notes, pranks, even gathering his friends to help once in awhile, he would never give up.

Of course, none of that mattered now. Black was in prison, his friend Lupin disgraced from a job, and his friends, Pettigrew and Potter, both dead. And now, the hunt is on to try and bring him back after Azkaban.

Returning to the paperwork, Bones oversaw the security requests and began to administer what was possible to hand over for Hogwarts and what was possible for Crouch before looking over the next documents.

\-----

"Madam Bones! Why was there no detail among the camps?"

"Madam Bones! What was the cause of the Dark Mark over the campgrounds at the World Cup?"

"Madam Bones! Are any Aurors looking into the possible return of the Dark Lord?"

A slew of cameras and reporters were parading around at the press conference for the investigation after the massive fire on the campgrounds of the Quidditch World Cup. Despite all of the support that Bones had handed over to Scrimgeour, Crouch and Fudge, the Department faced questions over the loss of property and injuries in the fiasco that left several injured as well as the concerns of the Dark Mark.

Crouch, whom had attended and investigated with his detail, took to the crowd to turn the questions back to him.

"As part of an ongoing investigation, the Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Law Enforcement are currently conducting an investigation," Crouch stated. "Questions pertaining to details are not available for comment until the inquiry is complete."

Several reporters and cameras went off, flashing and taking several questions.

"Mister Crouch, any concerns left by the Bulgarians or Americans as to the reports of Muggles being levitated?"

"Again, all questions about an ongoing investigation cannot be answered at this time," Crouch said, turning to end the conference upon Fudge's arrival. "Thank you all."

Before reporters could return the questions to Crouch or Bones, the reporters would instead turn to Fudge as the two elder Heads walked towards an elevator.

"At least he takes the opportunity to boast," Crouch muttered in irritation. "The git."

Bones, indifferent to Fudge's concern, braces as they head for the second floor back to her office.

"At least he can try and cater the media to something else," Bones pointed out. "I have had three reporters try and prod Aurors left and right to see if they knew anything and they weren't even investigating."

Crouch chuckled as they walked out the lift and down the corridors.

"You handled yourself well, so far," he complimented. "Most of the blame will be placed on whomever Fudge can find in order to help himself, but he knows that you're not worth fighting."

Bones, while appreciating the support, did take the opportunity to point out the issue at hand.

"Which would be nice if I COULD answer the questions," she stated, matter-of-factly. "I don't need to be side-stepped in order to do my job, nor is this my first duel with the press corps, as Fudge would so like to point out."

Crouch chuckled, in spite of the serious situation.

"It's only for now," he claimed. "After which, the Lion's Den is yours once I am off to Hogwarts. Just as soon as I can finish up these damn meetings with the American Secretary and their Department on their protests."

Bones sighed as they returned to the office, taking a seat after setting down her formal coats and hats and facing the documents at hand.

"In any matter," she projected. "The fact that there hasn't been many witnesses is hard to go on. Apart from Mister Potter, of course."

"There was no sign of the person he claimed to have seen," Crouch stated rather disappointed. "Then again, he may have been through the chaos himself and might have seen nothing."

"Not unless he knows how to conjure up the Dark Mark," Bones pointed out. "And I doubt many fourth years are being taught that in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Crouch, looking to avoid making a debate about the investigation, instead turned to the point that was brought up.

"Speaking of which, I heard that Dumbledore was naming Moody to the post," Crouch stated bemusedly.

Bones, understanding Crouch's reluctance, attempted to defuse any pointed problems that Crouch was going to have.

"Dumbledore has that authority," she stated. "Plus, he was an effective Auror, even if he went against several of the protocols that you taught us."

"He could have been sent to Azkaban if it wasn't for his damn duty against the Death Eaters," Crouch grumbled. "At least firing him helped curb those problems."

Bones, willing to give Crouch his moments to grumble, nodded as she penned down her statements to the squadron overseeing the investigation. After a moment, Crouch would stand up to adjust his jacket.

"In any matter," he started, "I must return before Fudge's detail brakes off. And I can get the names of those levitated before finishing up what we can."

"Good luck, Barty," Bones stated warmly. "With any luck, we will have to return to hear about Umbridge's next reading of the merpeople bill."

Crouch chuckled as he departed, whether out of interest or pure irony, given the measures that Umbridge was pushing for since being the Senior Undersecretary. Returning to her paperwork, Bones was observant of the measure coming through to all the departments on Umbridge's efforts. Speaking at the Wizengamot in Fudge's place, Umbridge pushed for the measure during Question Time, calling for a ban on merpeople from regular business as well as Wizard residences. As expected, the session devolved into questions as to how it would be effective or even implemented. And, despite what could be charitably described as a strong effort, Umbridge's calls fell on unwanted ears and little in the way of significant readings. The first reading only came through narrowly after much cajoling from more pureblood elements. In the midst of her paperwork, much of the details of the investigation were ongoing, with reports of confounding charms, a rumored case of the Cruciatus Curse on one attendee, and several burn victims were detailed. Despite reported sightings, most of the Aurors, including their head, Rufus Scrimgeour, could not find a solid footing on the case except of assumptions and unfounded cases. Sighing, Bones would continue to search for details as she called in Scrimgeour to go over further details.

 _I suppose this is getting my fins wet_ , she chuckled.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this has been something that I have seen once or twice on other areas, but never has it been seriously considered. This story will remain Ministry-centric, with the potential to dip into OOTP if need be, depending on the story's connections. However, I am looking to keep it as Ministry/Bones centric as possible, witnessing her rise to becoming the most respected Ministry official. And, of course, this will connect to "The Seeker's Bond", with some possible overlap.
> 
> Any constructive criticism or suggestions are welcome. Hope you enjoy this first bit and hope to have another chapter out before too long.


End file.
